Bootcamp If You're Unfit: What to Expect in Week One

“I’ll come once I’m a bit fitter.” I hear this every week. It usually comes from a mum or dad who gets out of breath on the stairs at Archway station, has not exercised properly since the kids arrived and is quietly scared of being the slowest person in the room. If that is you, this post is for you. Doing a bootcamp if you’re unfit is not only possible, it is often the easiest way to get fit, because someone else does the planning and you just have to turn up. Here is exactly what to expect and how to pace it.

You do not need to get fit first

Waiting until you are “fit enough” is like waiting until you can swim before getting in the pool. The class is where the fitness comes from. What matters is that the class is set up for people at your level, which means:

• Every exercise has an easier option, and the coach shows it first, not as an afterthought.
• The group is small enough that the coach can see you.
• Resting is normal and expected.
• Nobody is timing you against anyone else.

In my classes the maximum is 10 people, and I always demonstrate the easier version alongside the harder one. Some people in the room have been coming for a year. Some are on their first week. You cannot tell from the outside who is who, because everyone is just working at their own level.

One sensible step before you start: if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes, a recent injury or you get chest pain or dizziness when you exert yourself, check with your GP first. If you are 40 to 74, the free NHS Health Check is a good baseline.

How scaling works in a bootcamp if you’re unfit

“Scaling” just means changing an exercise so it fits you today. Here are the swaps I use most with beginners:

• Burpee becomes a slow step-back to a plank position on a bench, then step back in. Or simply a squat and reach.
• Press-up becomes a press-up with hands on a bench, or against the wall.
• Jump squat becomes a bodyweight squat to a box, so you know where the bottom is.
• Running shuttle becomes a brisk walk or marching on the spot.
• Kettlebell swing becomes a kettlebell deadlift, slow and controlled.
• Plank becomes a plank on knees, or hands on a bench.

The aim is to finish each interval feeling you worked, not feeling sick. If you could chat in full sentences, push a little more. If you cannot say more than one word, ease off.

Pacing: the 3 out of 5 rule

I ask new people to rate their effort from 1 (sitting on the sofa) to 5 (absolute max). For your first 3 or 4 classes, I want you to stay around 3. Slightly breathless, warm, focused, but in control.

The biggest mistake unfit beginners make is going too hard in the first 10 minutes because they feel self-conscious, then spending the rest of the class wrecked. Go steady. You can always push in the final round if you feel good.

Other pacing tips that help:

• Take the rest. If the interval is 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest, you can take 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest. That is still training.
• Breathe out on the effort. Holding your breath makes everything harder.
• Sip water between stations, not huge gulps.
• Tell me if something hurts. Effort is fine. Sharp or joint pain means we change the exercise.

What your first week will actually feel like

During the class: The warm-up will feel like a workout in itself. That is normal. By the middle, you will probably wonder why you came. By the cool-down, most people feel surprisingly good.

That evening: You might feel tired but more relaxed than usual. Many parents tell me they sleep better.

24 to 48 hours later: Expect some muscle soreness, especially in your legs and bum. Sitting on the toilet may be a comedy moment. This is normal and usually fades within a few days. My post on how long DOMS lasts explains what is normal and what is not.

The second class: Usually feels a bit easier than the first, because you know the format and are less nervous.

Week 3 or 4: This is when people notice the stairs are easier, or they can carry the toddler up the hill without stopping. Small wins, but real ones.

A 2-week warm-up plan for home

If you want a bit of confidence before your first class, do this 3 times a week for 2 weeks. It takes about 12 minutes.

1. March on the spot - 1 minute
2. Sit-to-stand from a chair - 2 sets of 8
3. Wall press-up - 2 sets of 8
4. Glute bridge on the floor - 2 sets of 10
5. Standing knee lifts - 2 sets of 10 each side
6. Brisk walk around the block - 5 minutes

Not necessary, but it takes the edge off the first session. For the full picture of what happens on the day, read my guide to your first bootcamp class as a beginner, and if it has been years since you trained at all, see starting exercise after years off.

Not sure which class to pick? SYP Recharge is a good first choice if your biggest problem is low energy, because it builds you up rather than flattening you.

FAQs

What if I can’t keep up?

You are not meant to keep up with anyone else. You keep up with your own plan for that day. In a well-run class, the coach adjusts the exercise to you, not the other way round.

How unfit is too unfit for a bootcamp?

If you can walk for 10 minutes and get up and down from a chair, you can do a scaled class. If you have a medical condition, get a green light from your GP first.

Will I be sick in my first class?

Very unlikely if you pace it sensibly. Feeling sick usually comes from going flat out too early or training on a completely empty stomach. Have a light snack an hour or two before.

How often should a beginner go?

Once a week for the first 2 weeks, then 2 a week once the soreness settles. That fits the NHS advice to do strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week.

Book your first class

The hardest part is booking. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in a warm church hall in Archway N19, with a maximum of 10 people, every fitness level welcome and a cost of £15 a class. You get the timetable when you book. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 if you want a chat first. If you would rather start 1-1 and build up, you can see how my personal training works.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.